A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck China’s Xinjiang region, causing injuries and extensive damage to homes. The earthquake occurred in the sparsely populated Uchturpan county in Aksu prefecture, triggering the dispatch of around 200 rescuers to the epicenter. The quake resulted in six people being injured, with two sustaining serious injuries and four experiencing minor injuries. Additionally, 47 houses collapsed, 78 houses were damaged, and some agricultural structures collapsed.
The earthquake caused power lines to go down temporarily, but electricity was quickly restored. Urumqi Railroad Bureau resumed services after safety checks confirmed no issues on the train lines. The suspension had affected 23 trains. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake measured 7.0 magnitude and occurred in the seismically active Tian Shan mountain range. The area’s largest quake in the past century was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 1978, approximately 200 kilometers to the north of the recent one.
The affected area is predominantly populated by Uyghurs, a Turkic ethnicity that is primarily Muslim and has faced forced assimilation and mass detention by the state. The region is heavily militarized, and paramilitary troops were shown on state broadcaster CCTV moving in before dawn to clear rubble and set up tents for those displaced.
Uchturpan county is currently experiencing freezing temperatures, with lows forecasted to reach negative 18 degrees Celsius (just below zero Fahrenheit) this week, according to the China Meteorological Administration. In Yunnan province, rescue workers are still searching for victims buried by a landslide in the village of Liangshui. Eleven bodies have been recovered so far, and two survivors were rescued from among the 47 people buried in 18 homes.
The tremors from the earthquake were felt hundreds of kilometers away. Residents in Tacheng, located 600 kilometers from the epicenter, reported feeling their apartment buildings shake. Chandeliers swung, buildings were evacuated, and a media office building near the epicenter shook for a full minute. Videos and photos shared on social media platforms depicted residents standing outside bundled in winter jackets and cracked walls with fallen chunks.
The earthquake’s impact extended beyond Xinjiang, with tremors felt in neighboring countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. In Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan, people left their homes due to the strong tremors. Classes were suspended in both Xinjiang and Kazakhstan to allow children to recover from the shock.
Earthquakes are not uncommon in western China, including provinces like Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, and Yunnan, as well as the Xinjiang region and Tibet. China has experienced devastating earthquakes in the past, such as the 6.2 magnitude quake in Gansu in December that claimed 151 lives, making it the country’s deadliest earthquake in nine years. The 2008 earthquake in Sichuan resulted in nearly 90,000 fatalities and led to a long-term effort to rebuild using more quake-resistant materials.
The recent earthquake in Xinjiang serves as a reminder of the region’s vulnerability to seismic events and the ongoing challenges faced by its population. As rescue efforts continue and communities work towards recovery, it is crucial to prioritize safety measures and infrastructure improvements to mitigate the impact of future earthquakes.